UK MoD Contracts Tiberius Aerospace to Develop SCEPTRE Ramjet 155mm Precision Munition

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded Tiberius Aerospace a contract to develop its SCEPTRE 155mm Ramjet munition—a next-generation artillery round designed to dramatically extend range, precision, and lethality. By leveraging ramjet propulsion, SCEPTRE aims to overcome the ballistic limitations of conventional shells, potentially giving the British Army a decisive overmatch capability in long-range fires.

What is SCEPTRE?

SCEPTRE (Supersonic Combustion Powered Extended Range) is a ramjet-powered 155mm artillery shell designed to maintain supersonic velocity throughout its flight. Unlike standard rounds that rely solely on propellant charges, SCEPTRE integrates an air-breathing propulsion system, significantly extending its range while retaining kinetic energy for terminal effects.

Key features include:

• Ramjet propulsion – sustains high velocity after leaving the barrel.
• Extended range – expected to exceed 80–100 km, depending on barrel length and launch system.
• Precision guidance – modular seekers, potentially GPS/INS and semi-active laser.
• Compatibility – designed to fire from NATO-standard 155mm/L52 howitzers.
• Lethality – higher impact energy at range compared to conventional glide munitions.

Strategic Significance

The British Army is currently recapitalizing its artillery under Mobile Fires Platform and Deep Fires modernization. SCEPTRE addresses a growing concern: adversaries like Russia field systems (e.g., Krasnopol, Koalitsiya-SV, Tornado-S) with extended-range precision munitions.

SCEPTRE provides:

• Counter-battery advantage – outranging peer adversaries.
• Operational flexibility – deep-strike capability without relying on scarce GMLRS or ATACMS inventories.
• Cost-efficiency – cheaper per shot compared to long-range missiles, while offering precision.
• Alliance interoperability – shares caliber with NATO partners, potential for collaborative procurement.

Technology Comparison

• Conventional 155mm Excalibur: 40–50 km range, GPS-guided.
• Nammo Ramjet 155: 80+ km range, under co-development with the US.
• SCEPTRE: Targets similar 80–100 km range, positioning it in the same class as Nammo’s solution but with potential British-specific optimizations.

This positions the UK not only as a user but a developer of ramjet-based artillery, ensuring technological sovereignty in advanced munitions.

Challenges & Risks

While promising, ramjet artillery faces multiple hurdles:

• Barrel wear & launch stresses – integrating propulsion in a shell that survives 10,000+ g launch loads.
• Guidance reliability – GPS jamming/spoofing remains a major threat; redundant seekers are essential.
• Production scalability – ramjet rounds are more complex and expensive than conventional shells.
• Doctrine adaptation – new TTPs (tactics, techniques, procedures) will be required for long-range precision artillery integration.

Key Points

• UK MoD contracts Tiberius Aerospace for SCEPTRE 155mm ramjet shell.
• Expected range 80–100 km, precision-guided.
• Designed for NATO-standard 155mm artillery.
• Complements UK deep fires modernization.
• Competes with Nammo’s Ramjet 155 for next-gen artillery dominance.